Tap box



Feb. 10, 1953 E. D. lDZl 2,628,009

TAP BOX Filed Sept. 15, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1-

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EDWARD D-IDZ| BY MQ E. D. lDZl TAP BOX Filed se 15, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 6069000 OOOOOOO OOOOOOO OOOOOOO 0000000 00000 .00000 0000 OOOOOOO OOOOOOO OOOOO .00000 00009 OOOO 0000000 000000 OOOOO ooooooo GOOOO OOQOO OOOO OOOOOOO OOOOGOO OOOOOOO OOOOOOO OOOOOOO as J4 5/ mmmm EDWARD U102! QQ a.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIQE 6 Claims.

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in tap boxes and is designed to provide improved apparatus for chilling and dispensing draught beer tapped from kegs. The particularly novel and useful features of my improved device are the non-metallic composition beer conduits composed of a suitable plastic, such as Lucite, with suitable coupling means of the same composition for connecting the conduits to the kegs and by which the beer is conducted from the keg to the dispensing faucet entirely free of any contact with metal; the novel refrigeration system by means of which the temperature of the beer is reduced to the desired degree by being subjected to the effect of a refrigerant throughout the entire course of flow from the keg to the faucet; novel chilling units through which the beer flows immediately prior to reaching the faucets; novel mounting means by which the chilling units, beer conduits and faucets are disposed in the tap box; a freeze box for making ice, associated with the chilling units; and a beer glass trackway associated with the freeze box and having a blower for chilling the glasses passed there along.

While I have illustrated in the drawings and have hereinafter fully described one specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to said specific embodiment, and that I refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved tap box.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the box, with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the box, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, and a longitudinal vertical section of a beer keg, and the conduits leading to the box.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary vertical section, similar to the right end of Fig. 5, of a modified form of mounting for the chilling unit.

Fig. 6 is a greatly enlarged end elevation of I the chilling unit of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 2-1 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the refrigera tion, beer and water conduits.

As illustrated in the drawings, my improved tap box (Fig. 1) has a rear wall l, bottom 2, a top 3, an upper front wall 4, a front shelf 5, and a lower front wall 6. The top 3 has a central opening I a with a peripheral gutter 8. A cover 9 for the opening 'ihas a peripheral skirt I0 seated in the outer periphery of the gutter 8, perforations l l and a drip plate I2 below the perforations II and having a peripheral skirt l3 seated in the inner periphery of the gutter 8. The gutter 8 has a drain pipe l4 (Figs. 2 and 3). The shelf 5 has a depending drip plate l5 provided with a removable cover plate It having perforations H. The plate l5 has a drain pipe l8 discharging into a trough l9, into which the drain pipe I4 also discharge, and having a drain pipe passing downwardly and through the bottom 2 to any suitable disposal means. The upper front wall 4 (Fig. 3) has a central opening 2| closed by a door 22 with hinges 23 and a latch 24. The lower front wall 5 has an opening 25 closed by a door 26 with hinges 2'! and latch 28. The bottom 2 is provided at each of its four corners with an adjustable supporting leg comprising a threaded post 29 having its upper end tapped into a socket 3! bolted to the bottom 2 and a conical base 3| threaded on the post 29.

The ta box is provided throughout its interior with suitable insulating packing 32'.

Suitably mounted forwardly of the upper front wall 4, there are four faucets 33, 34, 35 and 35 disposed a convenient distance above the perforated cover plate It of the shelf 5 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). Four chilling units A, B, C and D (Fig. 4) are associated with the faucets 33, 34, 35 and 36, respectively. As these units are identical in construction, a description of the structural elements of unit D (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6) will suffice.

, The unit comprises a cylindrical wall 31 with integral end walls 38 and 39 in which is mounted an axial pipe 40, to form a closed chamber'M having an inlet port 42 and an outlet port 43.

For mounting the units A,'B, C and D and the faucets 33, 34, 35 and 36, the front wall 4 has four suitably disposed'bores, the wall 4 being flanged-in to provide peripheral seats 44 about the bores, each of which has a two-piece bushing comprising a male member 45, with flange 46, threaded into a. female member 4! with flange 48, the flanges .46 and 48 engaging the packing 32 and the wall 4 about the bore, respectively. The pipe of unit D projects through end wall 39 and passes through the male member 45 of the bushing. A sleeve 49 is fixed 'on the outer end of pipe 48 after it has been passed through member 45. The innerend of sleeve 43 bears on the outer end of member 45 and the outer end of sleeve 49 has a peripheral flange 50. A threaded nut 5|- has a flange 52 about sleeve 49 which bears on flange 58 when the nut 5! is set up on the inner threaded end 53 of the faucet 36 and a suitable washer 54 effects a sealed joint.

The outer discharge end 55 of the faucet 36 has connected thereto the outer discharge end of a conduit 56 which passes from the faucet 35 through the pipe 40 to the rear end of the chilling unit D whence it coils about wall 3! of the chamber 4| ,in a spiral-path to thelfront end of .the unit D, whence it passes downwardly :into the lower portion of the tap box where it may be coiled, and then passes through an insulated conduit 51 in the bottom 2.

The chambers 41 of the units A, B, C and D are connected in series by pipes 58 .(Eig. .4). connecting the inlet and discharge ports 42 and 43. The inlet port 42 of chamber illco'f i-thennitjD has connected thereto a refrigerant conduit. 59 extending from the refrigeration compressor'tll (Fig. 8) through the insulated conduit 51, coiled in the lower portion of the box. and then extending upwardly to'the unitD. Conduit Ellis-provided with "a suitable expansion valve The discharge port 43-0f the chamberfidhoftheunit A has connected theretoareturn-refrigerant conduit t2 (Figs.-4, "hand 8) extending to the compressor 80.

The conduit 56 connected to the'i faucetfill *is composed-of suitable :nommetallic, plastic com- :position. such as lucite. lts 'lower end 63 (Figi'3) .isftapped. into a .couplingrthconnectingithe sconiduit=56 with a, controlavalve b5 threadeddntoa hollow headi fifi ll'ltO' whichds threaded :aihollow tap' rod. .61. forltapping thelkeg 8 which has the -.usual bung hole ielosed' byltheabung 69;and having 0 a2slot,ted peripheral :flange "7 llz to receivegz-in a-ibay- -..onet-=joint,athecollar 1| .pf ablamp'li ehaving a socket 131mm whiclrisi'threadeda ;clamp .54. The 1:od 6!. has a "closed-lower end 51-5 :and intake-open- :ings d6 .adl' acent thereto. A conduit 211::connected to :an IEiIi'ICOmPIESSDI 218' afifligziB): :introduced ;through clamp :12 zfOl' passage. aof-airmnder-pressure through the bung hole.

"Itis' to :be: understoodzthat the coupling :84 the valve 65, the3headzfifinandfzthe modzlfl::are:composed "of, :the same'anaterial .as the. condnitcifi.

; Suitable :rubber:vvashers: 1-1.9rand z88. are .1 pro- .vided in the .clamps .12, and fl:4,-,:fsespectively, ito :e'f-

tfect sealed joints.

Itwill bemoted fFigs. Band-A) lthat .units 03 tandC have ponduits.ifiemandfi6+b.rrespectively, .for connecting faucets 84 .zandn35, respectively, .with .kegs .68-.aand:=68-b;- respectiuely 1(Eig; '28) similar to kegwfifl. .(Jorxduits'iil3.-..a.- -andi156-bare f the same: materialtas conduit :58 :dAs E shown :in Fig. 3, thewconduits S; .56-a1and 55-12 :and' 359 '5 maybe coiled: concentrically-gin the lower portion :of thetapabox, and :conduitszBB, 58-42. and 55 b for rthe :beer'lines may-beretained imintimate associ- --..ation with the-refrigerant :conduit 55 9; asu-zby -tap- :ingithereto.

'1 The unitiA: is :provided with eatwater :conduit 8i ;CFig. :8)1;of substantially the same r'formas that portion :of conduit E56Whifihff01fil8 a, :partof .unit .;-D,-:t0;supply nchilledwatereto .the faucet .83.

Qonduits :58, 56-a,'a56- b and ill are fixed to wallsr3 l of :the :chilling units ibYISllitfiblG clips=.82.

.The tapaboxis.provided"withafreezetbox (Figs.

' 31and 7) disposed directlybelowdhefchilling units 1 and immediately-rearwardly: ofthe .do or z2 2sin :the forward -walli4. .This freezeboichas anbottom 383, side-$.84, and a shelf .85; and. is-supported .by suit- .able brackets .86 on the rear-wall l and. front :wall The zbox::contains,-,fourmemovable; ice-cube :trays 81 andiis providedwitharsuitable refriger-- .ant-conduit- :88 coiled about :the freeze box and wconnected-with the refrigeration compressor -88.

The tap box :is provided with an arcuate track (Fig. '7) .for..chilling do,eer;.;glasses -.passed :there- .along. ...This-,track comprises arfloorzflfi azvertioal wall 99, a top 9i, an upstanding flange 92 on the floor 89 and a depending flange 93 on the top 9| aligned vertically with the flange 92. The track is supported onthe brackets 88 on the .rear wall 5 land flanges 54 and 95 attached to the front wall 4. The intake end of this track is disposed adjacent an opening 98 in the wall 4 to the right of door 22 and its discharge end is disposed ad- :jacent an opening 91 in the wall 4 to the left of lo. door .22. The opening 96 is closed by double swinging doors 98 and opening 97 is closed by :.double swinging doors 99. Doors 98 open inwardly and doors 99 open outwardly. Both sets of doors are biased to closed position.

Suitably mounted on the wall 4 intermediate theireeze box and the discharge end of the-glass "chillingtrackgthere-is asuitable electric blower lllfl havinglits intake l0l immediatelyadjacent the refrigerantconduit 88 coiled about the freeze =20 -boxand' its discharged 02 connected to an air duct 1'03 communicating with three discharge ports 1184 in the floort89 adjacent the opening fil-atlthe discharge .end of the beer glass track.

.Itwill-benoted (Figs. land 7) that the floor 89ofthe beer glasstracklies in the samehori- :zontal plane as the plate It of the shelf 5.

From the foregoing description of the'details of construction of my improved tap box, its use and operation will be obvious. It willbe understood that-the boxwill be properly disposed in a --conventional bar :so that its .top 3 will be'rf-lush "with the bar top,ithe adjustment of theadjustable-legs serving properlytoplacethe box. .It'is obvious that the kegs 158, 168-11 and 68-?) can be :disposed as :desired, ieither adjacent the tap box on the :same floor or on :a lower:flo.or, the beer and refrigerant conduits being of suitable length.

When the :clamp 'l2;has been applied .to :the

.keg 68; the taprod $1 is passed downwardly through clamps M and 72 so that its head lfirests on the bung 69. When blows are struck onthe head 66, the rod (il 'drives the'bung 89 "into the .keg68. The removal of the bung 69 permits the rod 6'! to pass downwardly until the head 15 rests .on the bottom of the keg 63. The clamp 14 is -thenset up to seal rod 61 therein. The conduit 55 is then attached to the valve 65 by the-coupling B4. The conduits 56-GL3I1CIT53-bj3161l0l1- :vnectedzto kegs-:68-a and 68 2), respectively, in the same manner. It is obvious that by the userof any; suitabletmanifold.header (not shown) ..the conduits 56-a and 56-h can be connected-to keg 2:68 :50 that-:beeryfrom a ,singlekeg gcanbe dis- ..pensed;;from .all three faucets 34, .35 and :38. ,When therefrigerant is circulated. by the .refrig- :zerationrcompressor 16H through-theconduit :59, its passage through the chambers M of the unitsrA,

B, C. and .Dzreduces the temperature to the --desired.:degree.

.Whenair under pressure is supplied by the air compressor '18 through the-conduit "E? into the kegs 68, 88-11 and 68-1), the beer therein is-caused -.to'='1low:into thelbeer conduits. 55, aid-a and 'G-b, 'thezvalves iifi being. opened. The beer isthus supplied to the faucetsfli l; -and"3E and canbe dispensed-therefrom'intcubeer glasses supported on the perforated plate l'inshe'lf fibelow the fau- .zcets.

Empty, clean, inverted beer glasses are pushed inwardly against the doors 88 which open to admit them to the glass track, the dimensionsoi which are such that the-inverted glasses are re- .tained on the track bythexwall and the flanges 19:23115. .93. Theifloortt of the track is suiii- 2 oientlyssmootha to facilitate sliding of L the glasses on their rims. When the track has been filled, it is obvious that insertion of an unchilled glass through the opening 96 will cause ejection of a chilled glass through the opening 37, the doors 99 yielding to permit its passage to the plate 16.

The freeze box can be caused to produce ice cubes in the trays 87' inserted by opening door 22 to rest on bottom 83 and shelf 35, by passing the refrigerant by the refrigeration compressor 60 through the conduit 88.

To suitably reduce the temperature of the beer glasses immediately prior to their ejection from the track, the blower 185 may be used to force the air of low temperature about the conduit 88 surrounding the freeze box through ports 164 to rise into the glasses passing thereover.

It is to be noted (Fig. 3) that the refrigerant conduit 59 becomes intimately associated with the beer conduits 53, 56-a and 56-2) closely adjacent the kegs 63, 58-11 and 68-?) in order that the beer be subjected to the chilling effect immediately upon leaving the kegs. It is also to be noted that immediately upon their association the conduits are protected by insulated conduit 57 and are received into the tap box in which the temperature has been properly reduced by the refrigerant in conduits 59 and 88.

A modified form of mounting for the chilling units is illustrated in Fig. 5-a. In this modified form the inner end 53 of the faucet 36 has a fixed peripheral flange 48-11 and threaded thereon an adjustable collar 43-(1. When this form of mounting is used, the two-piece bushing 45-47 is eliminated. The inner end 53 of the faucet 36 is passed through seat 44 in wall 4 until the flange 48-:1 engages Wall 4. The collar 46-11 is set up on end 53 to engage the packing 32, thereby fixedly mounting the faucet 36 on the wall 4. The nut 5| is then set up on end 53 thus coupling sleeve 39 and its pipe 46 to the faucet 36, thereby supporting the unit D on the faucet 36.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device for chilling and dispensing liquid, the combination of a tank for a refrigerant having an inlet port and an outlet port, and a passage formed therethrough; a conduit for the liquid, having a portion coiled about said tank and another portion passed through said passage; means to pass the liquid through said conduit; and means to pass a refrigerant through said tank by supplying it through said inlet port and evacuating it through said outlet port.

2. In a device for chilling and dispensing liquid, the combination of a cylindrical wall; a pair of end walls integral with said cylindrical wall to form a closed chamber; a pipe mounted in said end walls concentric with said cylindrical wall and having a projecting portion extending from one of said end walls; a supporting medium in which said projecting portion is mounted; a flexible pipe attached to said cylindrical wall adjacent its end wall through which said projecting portion extends, coiled about said cylindrical wall to its other end wall and passed through said mounted pipe; and means for passing a refrigerant through said chamber.

3. In a tap box for chilling and dispensing beer, the combination of a wall provided with a bore; a pipe passed through said bore and supported by said wall; a chamber through which said pipe passes, which is supported by said pipe interior-1y of the tap box; means for passing a refrigerant through said chamber; a conduit having a portion coiled about said chamber, and another portion passing through said pipe and means to pass beer through said conduit.

4. In a tap box, the combination of a wall; a plurality of chambers mounted on said wall in said box and connected in series by pipes; a refrigerant conduit introduced into the tap box and communicating with said connected chambers to supply a refrigerant to said chambers; a second refrigerant conduit communicating with said chambers to discharge said refrigerant from said chambers; a plurality of flexible liquid conduits introduced into the tap box, wrapped about and passing through said chambers, respectively, and extending exteriorly of the tap box; said refrigerant supply conduit and said liquid conduits being intimately associated by being concentrically coiled interiorly of the tap box.

5. In a device for chilling and dispensing liquid, the combination of a cylindrical wall; a pair of end Walls integral with said cylindrical wall to form a closed chamber; a pipe mounted in said end Walls concentric with said cylindrical wall and having a projecting portion extending from one of said end walls; a supporting medium, said projecting portion being mounted in said medium; a flexible pipe attached to said cylindrical wall adjacent the end wall through which said projecting portion extends, coiled about said cylindrical wall to the other end wall and passed through said mounted pipe; and means for passing a refrigerant through said chamber.

6. In a tap box, the combination of a wall provided with a bore; a conduit having a threaded end portion and a flange, said portion being passed through said bore to engage said flange on the exterior face of said wall; a collar threaded on said portion and engaging the interior face of said wall when set up on said portion; a nut threaded on said portion and having an interior peripheral flange; a sleeve having an exterior peripheral flange engaged by said nut-flange when said nut is set up on said portion; a .pipe on which said sleeve is fixed, coupled to said conduit when said nut is so set up; a chamber through which said pipe passes supported by said pipe; means for passing a refrigerant through said chamber; a second conduit coiled about said chamber, passing through said pipe and connected with said first conduit; and means to supply liquid to said second conduit.

EDWARD D. IDZI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 527,197 Deckebach Oct. 9, 1894 631,426 Lanphear Aug. 22, 1899 1,088,763 Bieger Mar. 3, 1914 1,571,342 Paige Feb. 2, 1926 1,616,085 Heath Feb. 1, 1927 2,013,425 Seitz Sept. 3, 1935 2,078,026 Sandell Apr. 20, 1937 2,082,975 Riesgo June 8, 1937 2,113,972 Adams Apr. 12, 1938 2,156,668 Staggs May 2,1939 2,294,118 Leary Aug. 25, 1942 2,362,104 Smith Nov. 7, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 62,312 Switzerland Oct. 30, 1912 

